Senate to end probe on killings

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate committee on justice and human rights will hold its last hearings on the alleged extrajudicial killings of suspected drug pushers on Oct. 3 to 5.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the committee, said that the fifth hearing was supposed to be held today but the advisory for resource persons from the Philippine National Police (PNP) was issued late and so he had to defer this to a later date.

He said that it was just coincidental that President Duterte was leaving for Vietnam on the same date as the hearing for a working visit.

Gordon said that he is close to getting all the information he needs to come out with a committee report containing the proposed legislation on the issues involved.

Gordon said that self-confessed Davao death squad hit man Edgar Matobato has been kept on hold just in case there is a need to summon him in the next hearings.

Matobato has appeared in two hearings, testifying that President Duterte ordered the killing of thousands of individuals when he was still mayor of Davao City.

“I kept him on hold. I respect our colleagues here. Even if I think he is a bad witness, I’m keeping him on hold,” Gordon said.

Twenty-three individuals, including active and retired members of the PNP were identified by Matobato as his colleagues in the DDS.

The PNP personnel mentioned by Matobato were among those invited by the committee for its next hearing.

Based on the agreement of the senators in the committee last week, the alleged DDS members would appear in the next hearing but only in an executive session.